Chicago tourism execs stretch credulity in their IPW pitches

All right, Chicago. How tone deaf is this city going to be as it tries to impress international tour operators and travel journalists attending the U.S Travel Association's IPW confab this week?

Putting noted fashion plate and Choose Chicago Board of Directors Chairman Desiree Rogers in front of a bunch of travel journalists and suggesting she's the new face of a very fashionable Chicago is patently absurd. If not downright embarrassing.

And according to a report in Crain's Chicago Business, the current Choose Chicago CEO Don Welsh only embroidered on Rogers' overblown remarks by indicating Chicago men now dress in stylish Armani attire. A few maybe. But precious few. Choose Chicago is the city's convention and tourism development arm.

But the IPW attendees to whom Welsh and Rogers are preaching their gospel this week aren't stupid. If they don't mind walking around in the city in the still chilly spring weather, they soon enough will discover for themselves with their own eyes that Chicago isn't quite the epicenter for fashionistas that Rogers and Welsh so want it to be.

The city's hyper-intense Mayor Rahm Emanuel was more on the mark for once when he told an IPW breakfast gathering that Chicago is the most American of American cities. But guess what? That's pretty much been the most effective selling point Chicago has had to go with for years now. It's just not a selling point that has necessarily compelled huge numbers of foreign travelers to make this city a must-see destination.

But other missteps have been made that shouldn't have been during this IPW confab that runs through Apr. 9 — like having Chicago Bears placekicker fly in FROM PHOENIX to give visitors a tour of Soldier Field.

As a Bears spokesman indicated today, Gould makes enough money to be able to afford at least two residences — one in Chicago and another in a balmier place where the talented kicker could relax in recent months while less financially-fortunate Chicagoans had no choice but to endure the worst winter in the city's history.

By the way, dear IPW visitors, that miserable winter is why this city wasn't able to trot out its spring greenery for all of you to see and enjoy.